MINNEAPOLIS — With the Minnesota Timberwolves’ season on the brink after one of many quietest offensive nights of the postseason for Anthony Edwards, their 23-year-old star defended his strategy in Monday’s 128-126 loss to the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder in Sport 4 of the Western Convention finals.
“I do not take a look at it like I struggled, or [Julius Randle] struggled,” Edwards stated. “They simply, they’d a very good sport plan, making us get off the ball. Particularly for me, man. They have been tremendous within the gaps, I made the suitable play all night time.”
Edwards had his second-lowest scoring complete of the postseason with 16 factors and tied his fewest shot makes an attempt, ending 5-for-13 from the sector (1-for-7 on 3-pointers).
“I do not actually take a look at it like I struggled,” Edwards continued. “I did not get sufficient pictures to say I struggled, in order that may be the way you guys take a look at it. However, yeah, I did not battle in any respect. I simply made the suitable play.”
After scoring 30 or higher the final two video games of the convention finals, it is actually honest to say Edwards was contained — particularly within the first half, when he scored simply 4 factors on 1-for-2 taking pictures.
After averaging 22.4 discipline purpose makes an attempt within the first spherical and 19.8 within the second spherical, Edwards has tried 17.3 pictures per sport in opposition to the Thunder to this point.
“It is an urge that I need to get the ball within the rim, put it up there,” Edwards stated. “However you do not need to take unhealthy pictures and get your crew out of rhythm. So I used to be simply taking part in the sport the suitable manner, man.”
Wolves coach Chris Finch stated Edwards was higher as the sport went on.
“I believed second half he was extra aggressive,” Finch stated. “He bought downhill. We bought him off the ball just a little bit extra. When he bought to the paint, I believed he discovered some folks, made the suitable performs. First half, he lagged behind just a little bit an excessive amount of. He wanted to get out in entrance so we might stretch the ground and display for him a bit. However second half was significantly better.”
Randle, who scored a playoff career-low 5 factors on 1-for-7 taking pictures, by no means bought it going.
After he and Edwards additionally have been chargeable for 5 turnovers apiece, as Minnesota dedicated 23 miscues resulting in 22 factors for the Thunder, Randle pointed the finger at himself.
“I believe it was only a lot me simply spectating,” Randle stated. “I bought to determine a strategy to get myself concerned in actions. I believe I did not take my first shot within the second half till there have been 20 seconds left within the third quarter. I bought to determine a strategy to get myself in place to be extra aggressive, moderately than simply standing, spectating or making an attempt to crash the glass.”
After a superb postseason by way of the primary two rounds because the sixth-seeded Wolves upset the Los Angeles Lakers in 5 video games and superior previous the Golden State Warriors in 5 video games, Randle has been inconsistent in opposition to Oklahoma Metropolis.
He scored 28 factors in Sport 1, 6 factors in Sport 2 and 24 factors in Sport 3 earlier than Monday’s letdown.
Minnesota nonetheless had an opportunity due to massive scoring nights from Nickeil Alexander-Walker (23 factors on 9-for-15 taking pictures), Jaden McDaniels (22 factors on 9-for-15 taking pictures) and Donte DiVincenzo (21 factors on 7-for-11 taking pictures), however the turnovers and Oklahoma Metropolis’s 19 offensive rebounds proved pricey.
“The offensive rebounds and turnovers, in case you take away the junk factors, it is a complete totally different sport,” DiVincenzo stated.
Minnesota, trailing 3-1, might want to win Wednesday’s Sport 5 at Paycom Middle (8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN), to be able to prolong the sequence or fall three wins wanting the primary NBA Finals berth in franchise historical past for the second straight yr.
Edwards was requested if he felt a “burden” to extend his scoring with the Wolves’ season on the road.
“No,” Edwards stated. “I do not put no burden on myself. I simply attempt to win. The one burden I placed on myself is to attempt to win. We gave ourselves an opportunity tonight. We simply did not come out from the beginning with the identical aggression that we did in Sport 3.”
Certainly, down 2-0 within the sequence, Minnesota responded with a 143-101 rout in Sport 3 to keep away from the near-death knell of trailing 3-0.
Now the Wolves might want to muster a win for his or her season to keep away from sure demise with one other loss in Sport 5, which might propel Oklahoma Metropolis to the Finals.
“Simply not conceding to the scenario. Discovering a manner. Simply bought to need it extra,” Alexander-Walker stated. “The advantage of it’s on this scenario each time we have had a come-to-terms speak inside one another we have at all times responded properly. … We now have a resilient group and I belief in that group.”
